Manufacturing Technology Program (ManTech)
Abstract
The Defense Logistics Agency (DLA) Manufacturing Technology (ManTech) Program funds the advanced technology development needed to achieve a responsive, efficient domestic industrial base that meets the warfighters' needs in an affordable and timely manner. The ManTech program works with DLA’s diverse supply chains to improve manufacturing capability throughout a product's life cycle. It provides the crucial link between invention and application by maturing, scaling up, and validating advanced manufacturing technology in “real world” environments. ManTech developments provide a path to low-risk technology implementation for many small businesses and defense unique suppliers as well as depots and shipyards that are critical to DLA. By anticipating and addressing production and sustainment problems before they occur, readiness levels increase and sustainment costs are decreased. Beginning in FY 2023, DLA ManTech shifts from three Strategic Focus Areas (SFAs) to two Lines of Effort (LOEs): 1) Industrial Base and Aging Weapon System Support (R&D LOE 1) and 2) 3D Technical Data Modernization / Model-Based Enterprise (R&D LOE 2). These LOEs are closely aligned to documented and tracked priorities specified in the most current DLA Strategic Plan, that calls for Digital Business Transformation as one of three critical capabilities to achieve DLA’s business goals of enhancing performance, reducing costs, and becoming more predictive and data-driven. This critical capability also seeks to transform systems and processes to improve data transparency, reliability, and security for our employees, customers, and suppliers. DLA’s initiatives within this critical capability align with the interim National Security Strategy (NSS) by emphasizing the importance of harnessing rapid emerging technologies that will transform how we do business. -In addition to alignment to DLA’s top strategic priorities, under Section 2521 of Title 10, US Code, DLA ManTech efforts are collaborated across DOD Military Services and Agencies. As a Principal member of the Joint Defense Manufacturing Technology Panel, DLA’s efforts are integrated within the Joint Defense Priorities. -The Industrial Base and Aging Weapon System Support LOE (R&D LOE 1) seeks to implement innovative and proactive technology solutions to ensure a robust, reliable industrial base that provides affordable and previously hard-to-procure critical parts for DOD weapon systems. This LOE aligns to DLA Strategic Plan LOE 1: Warfighter Always, DLA LOE 2: Trusted Mission Partner, DLA LOE 4: Modernized Acquisition and Supply Chain Management, as well as the cross-cutting Critical Capability C: Digital Business Transformation through the following portfolios: DOD Subsistence Supply Chain (Subsistence Network), Castings (Procurement Readiness Optimization—Advanced Casting Technology), Forgings (Procurement Readiness Optimization—Forging Advanced System Technology), Batteries (Battery Network), Additive Manufacturing (AM), and Advanced Microcircuit Emulation (AME). -The 3D Technical Data Modernization / Model Based Enterprise LOE (R&D LOE 2) integrates three-dimensional technical data and knowledge-based tools to transform and streamline supply system responsiveness for DLA-managed commodities. Efforts seek to improve and facilitate the exchange of engineering and logistics information among DLA, the Military Services, DLA industry partners and DLA customers. The benefits include shorter product introduction cycles, lower set up-costs for parts production and more economical small batch production. Primarily focused on the DLA Strategic Plan Critical Capability C: Digital Business Transformation, this R&D LOE cuts across DLA Strategic Plan LOE 1: Warfighter Always, DLA LOE2: Trusted Mission Partner, and DLA LOE 4: Modernized Acquisition and Supply Chain Management through portfolios for DOD soldier and individual equipment (Military Unique Sustainment Technology ((MUST)) and Defense Logistics Information Research (DLIR), as well as out of budget cycle or Emerging Manufacturing Technology (EMT) requirements. -Until the shift from SFAs to LOEs in FY 2023, DLA ManTech remains aligned into three Strategic Focus Areas (SFAs) for FY 2021 and FY 2022: 1) Improving Industrial Base Manufacturing Processes (IIBM); 2) Maintaining Viable Sources of Supply (MVSS); and 3) Improving Technical and Logistics Information (ITLI). -The IIBM SFA includes efforts to reduce industrial base material costs and production lead-times, while improving the quality of DLA managed products. This SFA has supply chain focused execution portfolios for food (Subsistence Network), Castings (Procurement Readiness Optimization—Advanced Casting Technology), Forgings (Procurement Readiness Optimization—Forging Advance System Technology), Batteries (Battery Network) and Additive Manufacturing. -The MVSS SFA includes efforts to assure the commercial industrial base can satisfy DLA materiel requirements without relying on foreign sources for microcircuits. This strategic focus area mitigates supply issues caused by the lack of a reliable domestic manufacturing capability to produce products or raw materials needed to build and maintain weapon systems. The major focus of the program is maintaining a reliable, trusted, domestic source for “non-procurable” linear and digital microcircuits. Microcircuit emulation allows the Services to save significant costs by using form, fit and functionally equivalent spare parts rather than redesigning the next-higher-assembly. -The ITLI SFA includes efforts to improve and facilitate the exchange of engineering and logistics information among DLA, the Military Services, DLA industry partners and DLA customers. It includes the Military Unique Sustainment Technology (MUST) and the Defense Logistics Information Research (DLIR) programs. A primary focus of this SFA is to capitalize on the emerging “Model Based Enterprise” paradigm and the semantic web as an enabler to a logistics system that is smart and connected up and down the supply chain and across all DLA Customers and suppliers. A major focus is to transform DOD engineering data from two-dimensional paper-based products to three-dimensional computer based models, and to develop processes to move from “electronic paper” (i.e. PDF files) to technical data files that can interface directly with industries’ engineering systems. The benefits include shorter product introduction cycles, lower set up-costs for parts production and more economical small batch production. DLA’s focus for this budget cycle highlights advanced capabilities in digital and technical data modernization, data management and analytics to fulfill the DLA role in the DOD Digital Engineering Strategy and improve sharing of data with the industrial base and supported organizations. Investment explores technologies to lower the Agency’s material acquisition and operation costs and improve weapons systems support. This effort spans across both DLA R&D Program Elements and R&D LOEs, impacting across the DOD Joint Defense Manufacturing Technology Panel and DLA Enterprise logistics processes.
Document Details
- Document Type
- R2 Budgetary Justification
- Publication Date
- Oct 01, 2023
- Source ID
- 0603680S_3_0400_PB_2023
- Change Summary Explanation
- FY 2023 funding increase reflects the fact that the FY 2022 President’s Budget request did not include out-year funding. FY 2023: -Critical Chemicals: Strategic Material Related Efforts -DLA ManTech baseline was increased $2.343 million based on internal funding reallocation decision to modernize DLA's technical data management and predictive analytics capability and lay the foundation for next generation Smart Manufacturing.
- Service Agency Name
- Defense Logistics Agency
Entities
Organizations
- Defense Logistics Agency
Related Documents
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- Child Accomplishment: Improving Industrial Base Manufacturing Processes (formerly Material Availability)
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- Child Accomplishment: Maintaining Viable Supply Sources (formerly High Quality Sources)
- Child Project: Improving Technical and Logistics Information (formerly Industry and Customer Collaboration)
- Child Accomplishment: Improving Technical and Logistics Information (formerly Industry and Customer Collaboration
- Child Project: Industrial Base & Aging Weapon System Support
- Child Accomplishment: Industrial Base (IB) and Aging Weapon System Support Line of Effort (R&D LOE 1)
- Child Project: 3D Tech Data Modernization / Model Based Enterprise
- Child Accomplishment: Three-dimensional (3D) Technical Data Modernization (TDM) / Model-Based Enterprise (MBE) (R&D LOE 2)